Bold Words: boyars: Russia's landowning nobles westernization: using western Europe as a model for change
Key People: Ivan the Terrible:
- came to throne in 1533
- struggled for power among Russia's landowning nobles
- boyars fought to control Ivan
- 16- he seized power and had himself crowned czar "caesar"
- first Russian ruler to use it officially
- married Anastasia (related to the Romanovs) Peter the Great
- Real name: Czar Peter I and at first he shared the throne with this half-brother
- 1696- he became sole ruler of Russia.
- Known as peter the great because he was one of Russia's greatest reformers
- continued the trend of increasing the czar's power
Key Events:
- The First Czar-
• Ivan IV, Ivan the Terrible
• 1547- 1560 are called Ivan's "good period" because he won great victories, added lands to Russia, gave Russia a code of laws, and ruled justly.
Rule by terror
• 1560 - Ivan's bad period when Anastasia died. He turned against the boyars and organized his own police force whose duty was to kill people Ivan thought were traitors. They were dressed in black and rode black horses.
• Ivan executed many boyars and their family and friends. He seized their estates and gave them to new nobles who remained loyal to him.
• 1581, Ivan killed his oldest son and heir-- he died 3 years later, weak second son was left to rule
Rise of the Romanovs
• Russia experienced "Time of Troubles" because several impostors tried to claim the throne while Boyars struggled for power.
• 1613, representatives from Russian cities chose Michael Romanov (grandnephew of Anastasia). Romanov dynasty began which ruled 1613- 1917.
-Peter the Great Comes to Power-
• Romanovs strengthened the government by passing a law code and putting down a revolt.
• Czar Peter I (Peter the Great) rules Russia
Russia Contrasts with Europe
• When Peter I came to power of Russia it was still a land of boyars and serfs.
• Russian landowners wanted serfs to stay on the land and produce large harvests- when land was sold, serfs were sold with it
• Landowners could give away serfs as presents or to pay debts
• Boyars knew little of Western Europe- Russia looked to Constantinople for leadership, Mongol rule had cut Russia off from the Renaissance/ Age of Exploration, Geographic barriers isolated Russia.
• Russians had adopted the Eastern Orthodox branch of Christianity while Western Europeans were mostly Catholics or Protestants.
• Russians viewed the Western Europeans as heretics and avoided them
Peter Visits the West
• Peter was more than 6 feet tall, fascinated by the modern tools and machines in the foreigners' shops, and has passion of ships and the sea. He believed that Russia's future depended on having a warm- water port.
• Peter was 24 years old when he became sole ruler of Russia. 1697, he went on "Grand Embassy" a long visit to western Europe because he wanted to learn about customs and manufacturing techniques. No czar had ever done this before.
-Peter Rules Absolutely-
• Peter thought Russia should compete with Europe on both military and commercial terms. he saw using westernization a way to make Russia stronger.
Peter's Reforms
• Peter increased his powers as an absolute ruler
• Peter brought the Russian Orthodox Church under state control, abolished the office of patriarch, head of the church. He set up a group called the Holy Synod to run the Church under his direction.
• Peter reduced the power of the great landowners-- and recruited men from lower class families and rewarded them with grants of land.
• Peter hired European officers, who drilled his soldiers in European tactics with Europeans weapons. Russian army reached 200,000 men. Peter imposed heavy taxes to pay for army
Westernizing Russia
• Peter's attempts to westernize Russia he
- introduced potatoes (staple of Russian diet)
- started Russia's first newspaper
- raise women's status by having them attend social gatherings
- ordered nobles to have western fashions
- advanced education by opening a school of navigation and introducing schools for the arts and sciences
• Peter believed that education was a key to Russia's progress. People were now forced to study the sciences in foreign lands.
Establishing St. Petersburg
• Peter fought Sweden to gain a piece of the Baltic coast -- After 21 years of war, Russia finally won the "window on Europe"
• 1703, Peter began building a new city on Swedish lands occupied by Russian troops. Ships could sail down the Neva River into the Baltic Sea and on to western Europe. Peter called the city St. Petersburg, after his patron saint.
• To build a city every summer thousands of serfs were sent to work-- 25,000 to 100,000 people died from the terrible working conditions and diseases. Yet, St. Petersburg became a busy port.
• Peter the Great had tried to westernize and reform the culture and government of Russia. 1725, he died and Russia was a power to be reckoned with in Europe.
boyars: Russia's landowning nobles
westernization: using western Europe as a model for change
Key People:
Ivan the Terrible:
- came to throne in 1533
- struggled for power among Russia's landowning nobles
- boyars fought to control Ivan
- 16- he seized power and had himself crowned czar "caesar"
- first Russian ruler to use it officially
- married Anastasia (related to the Romanovs)
Peter the Great
- Real name: Czar Peter I and at first he shared the throne with this half-brother
- 1696- he became sole ruler of Russia.
- Known as peter the great because he was one of Russia's greatest reformers
- continued the trend of increasing the czar's power
Key Events:
- The First Czar-
• Ivan IV, Ivan the Terrible
• 1547- 1560 are called Ivan's "good period" because he won great victories, added lands to Russia, gave Russia a code of laws, and ruled justly.
Rule by terror
• 1560 - Ivan's bad period when Anastasia died. He turned against the boyars and organized his own police force whose duty was to kill people Ivan thought were traitors. They were dressed in black and rode black horses.
• Ivan executed many boyars and their family and friends. He seized their estates and gave them to new nobles who remained loyal to him.
• 1581, Ivan killed his oldest son and heir-- he died 3 years later, weak second son was left to rule
Rise of the Romanovs
• Russia experienced "Time of Troubles" because several impostors tried to claim the throne while Boyars struggled for power.
• 1613, representatives from Russian cities chose Michael Romanov (grandnephew of Anastasia). Romanov dynasty began which ruled 1613- 1917.
-Peter the Great Comes to Power-
• Romanovs strengthened the government by passing a law code and putting down a revolt.
• Czar Peter I (Peter the Great) rules Russia
Russia Contrasts with Europe
• When Peter I came to power of Russia it was still a land of boyars and serfs.
• Russian landowners wanted serfs to stay on the land and produce large harvests- when land was sold, serfs were sold with it
• Landowners could give away serfs as presents or to pay debts
• Boyars knew little of Western Europe- Russia looked to Constantinople for leadership, Mongol rule had cut Russia off from the Renaissance/ Age of Exploration, Geographic barriers isolated Russia.
• Russians had adopted the Eastern Orthodox branch of Christianity while Western Europeans were mostly Catholics or Protestants.
• Russians viewed the Western Europeans as heretics and avoided them
Peter Visits the West
• Peter was more than 6 feet tall, fascinated by the modern tools and machines in the foreigners' shops, and has passion of ships and the sea. He believed that Russia's future depended on having a warm- water port.
• Peter was 24 years old when he became sole ruler of Russia. 1697, he went on "Grand Embassy" a long visit to western Europe because he wanted to learn about customs and manufacturing techniques. No czar had ever done this before.
-Peter Rules Absolutely-
• Peter thought Russia should compete with Europe on both military and commercial terms. he saw using westernization a way to make Russia stronger.
Peter's Reforms
• Peter increased his powers as an absolute ruler
• Peter brought the Russian Orthodox Church under state control, abolished the office of patriarch, head of the church. He set up a group called the Holy Synod to run the Church under his direction.
• Peter reduced the power of the great landowners-- and recruited men from lower class families and rewarded them with grants of land.
• Peter hired European officers, who drilled his soldiers in European tactics with Europeans weapons. Russian army reached 200,000 men. Peter imposed heavy taxes to pay for army
Westernizing Russia
• Peter's attempts to westernize Russia he
- introduced potatoes (staple of Russian diet)
- started Russia's first newspaper
- raise women's status by having them attend social gatherings
- ordered nobles to have western fashions
- advanced education by opening a school of navigation and introducing schools for the arts and sciences
• Peter believed that education was a key to Russia's progress. People were now forced to study the sciences in foreign lands.
Establishing St. Petersburg
• Peter fought Sweden to gain a piece of the Baltic coast -- After 21 years of war, Russia finally won the "window on Europe"
• 1703, Peter began building a new city on Swedish lands occupied by Russian troops. Ships could sail down the Neva River into the Baltic Sea and on to western Europe. Peter called the city St. Petersburg, after his patron saint.
• To build a city every summer thousands of serfs were sent to work-- 25,000 to 100,000 people died from the terrible working conditions and diseases. Yet, St. Petersburg became a busy port.
• Peter the Great had tried to westernize and reform the culture and government of Russia. 1725, he died and Russia was a power to be reckoned with in Europe.